Matthew David Perrin

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Matthew David Perrin, a solicitor admitted in 1996 (no practising certificate since 2005), was convicted after a jury trial of forgery, uttering and fraud after forging his wife's signature on mortgage documents to fraudulently induce the Commonwealth Bank to lend money, causing losses of around $9 million. He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. QCAT found professional misconduct under s 419 LPA, holding he was not a fit and proper person and was probably permanently unfit to practise. The Tribunal recommended removal of his name from the roll and ordered him to pay the applicant's costs assessed on the standard basis.

Duties found breached:

• Personal probity and fitness to practise

Aggravating factors:

• Serious dishonesty offences (forgery and fraud) causing loss to Commonwealth Bank of approximately $9 million
• Conduct wilfully deceitful and engaged in for personal benefit
• Mature businessman at time of offending, sentenced to eight years imprisonment
• Offences struck at the heart of commercial integrity

Mitigating factors:

• Did not oppose the application and consented to orders
• Offences not committed in the course of practising as a lawyer